Yea or nay?

Going on the Barry Bonds theme...


What do you think of there use ...

ready...

set...



POST!!!

dumb

Steroids can be dangerous. They're heavily monitored when prescribed for valid medical conditions.

Raspberry said:

Now are those even the same grade? I admit I know little about the topic!

That's a hard one. Apart from the legal issues there will always be people who deny using steroids. Even if there would be different leagues for those on AAS (and other performance enhancing drugs) and "naturals" there would still be folks who want to be the absolute best no matter what and try to fool the system.

drugs are baaad!!!

Oh and Kiren!!! !!! !!! !!! !!! Long time!

Raspberry said:

No, steroids are dangerous, but so is driving a car yet we're all willing to take that risk.

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

Renn

I'm no expert either, but I do believe that long-term use can damage internal organs such as the kidneys which is why they're usually prescribed and monitored by doctors.

Taking them without the safeguard of a doctor knowing about it is foolish.

EvilSkittle said:

Unfortunately cars these days are a necessity for most ... steroids for cosmetic reasons aren't. But I accept your point. I guess it's down to how much you are willing to contaminate your own body in persuit of "perfection".

Raspberry said:

Anyone willing to take steroids is well aware of the risks. So why should we not allow them to use steroids? Alcohol and cigarettes have killed more people than steroids ever will. In fact, testosterone has health benefits as well.

PS: I wasn't just talking about steroid use for cosmetic reasons. In fact, steroid use for non-cosmetic goals is a much bigger issue in most sports.

Raspberry said:

The only thing a doctor can do which you can't do yourself is check your liver and blood values. The thing is that there can be consequences to telling your doctor about your steroid use. Health insurance companies will drop you if they find out and there are a few cases in which that happened.

EvilSkittle said:

Yes, I agree ... I'm not against people taking such risks but my own opinion on the subject is that it's dumb.

Perhaps I should've said non-medical reasons rather than cosmetic. I know of people who do have to take steriods for medical reasons and the side effects can be horrible but, like so many drugs, if you have to take them you just deal with it. One of my dogs also has to take them for a skin condition. I make sure he's monitored regularly because I'm concerned about the dangers to his health.

As for taking them to improve performance in sports, my sense of fair play does say it's cheating but there are many legal drugs that also improve performance that aren't considered wrong to take. I guess I just have to stick to my view that taking them for non-medical reasons can be dangerous and I don't support their use.

So what are the risks? You haven't yet stated the associated risks... I am unaware what they are.. I believe it is more then a kidney issue is it not?

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

I've just found this Renn:

Anabolic steroids affect body growth and metabolism. Doctors use them to treat certain types of anemia as well as delayed sexual development in boys. Athletes are tempted to use them illegally because they improve muscle strength and performance—which is unfortunate, since anabolic steroids are associated with many side effects and health risks.
Since it's hard to study illegal steroid use, the precise health risks and side effects posed by these drugs are not completely clear. In one study, more than 30 percent of men who used steroids reported side effects including increased or decreased sex drive, aggression, and muscle spasms. Anabolic steroids can cause a series of undesirable side effects including acne, enlarged breasts, irritability, baldness, and headaches.

Abuse of anabolic steroids has also been associated with heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and infertility. Even short term use (less than 2 years) will increase the risk of developing permanent liver problems, including cancer.

Sources:
Herbert, A.H. "Anabolic Steroids: A Review of the Literature," The American Journal of Sports Medicine 12 (1984).
"Adolescents and Anabolic Steroids: A Subject Review," Pediatrics 99 (1997).
Anon, “Info Fax: Steroids,” National Institute of Drug Abuse (2000).

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

Having your insides covered with tumors. No joke.

I know so many people taking that crap!

They also shrink a man's balls. And I mean shrink 'em to a pretty good degree. I heard doctors talking about this years ago on ESPN.
[This message was edited Sun Oct 19 19:01:50 PDT 2003 by Supernova]

More possible side effects:

Dangers of Steroids
Anabolic steroids cause many different types of problems. Less serious side effects include acne, oily hair, purple or red spots on the body, swelling of the legs and feet, and persistent bad breath. Some of the more serious or long-lasting side effects are:

premature balding
dizziness
mood swings, including anger, aggression, and depression
seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
extreme feelings of mistrust or fear (paranoia)
problems sleeping
nausea
vomiting
trembling
high blood pressure that can damage the heart or blood vessels over time
aching joints
greater chance of injuring muscles and tendons
jaundice or yellowing of the skin; liver damage
urinary problems
shortening of final adult height
increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer
Specific risks for girls associated with anabolic steroids include:

increased facial hair growth
development of masculine traits, such as deepening of the voice, and loss of feminine body characteristics, such as shrinking of the breasts
menstrual cycle changes
Specific risks for guys include:

testicular shrinkage
pain when urinating
breast development
impotence (inability to get an erection)
sterility (inability to have children)
Steroids can also have serious psychological side effects. Some users become aggressive or combative, developing "roid rage" - extreme, uncontrolled bouts of anger caused by long-term steroid use.

Steroid users who inject the drugs with a needle are at risk for contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS, if they share needles with other users. People who use dirty needles are also at greater risk for contracting hepatitis, a disease of the liver, or bacterial endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. It can be impossible to tell if your friend or an athlete on your team is sick. It's not enough to take their word for it; they may not know. Sharing needles is never safe.

Some people combine or "stack" anabolic steroids with other drugs. Other steroid users may "pyramid" or "cycle" their steroid doses, starting with a low dose of stacked drugs and then periodically increasing and decreasing the dosage of the steroid, which users believe helps their bodies recuperate from the drugs. Because it is difficult to understand how the drugs interact, there is the possibility of taking a deadly combination. As with medications that should not be taken together, anabolic steroids have the potential for negative interactions. Emergency departments have reported cases of vomiting, tremors, dizziness, and even coma (unconsciousness) when patients were admitted after taking combinations of steroids.

A lot of people tell themselves they'll only use steroids for a season or a school year. Unfortunately, steroids can be addictive, making it hard to stop taking them when you want to. Steroid users may spend lots of time and money trying to get the drugs. And once users stop taking steroids, they're at risk of developing irritability, paranoia, and severe depression, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. Teens who use steroids may also be at greater risk for using other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine.

Some of the long-term effects of steroids may not show up for many years. Lyle Alzado, a former Los Angeles Raiders defensive lineman, believed his prolonged use of steroids and growth hormones caused the rare form of brain cancer that affected his central nervous system before he died.



In fairness I have to say that I'm with Finess on this one. My views on drugs have pretty much changed over the past five years. I don't do drugs and although I realise everyone has to follow their own rules, I'm pretty much against drugs for recreational or non-medical use now.

x
[This message was edited Sun Oct 19 19:06:42 PDT 2003 by Raspberry]

Supernova said:

ok ewww!

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

It's more a liver issue. Then there are also things that might be considered less serious depending on the person; temporarily testicular shrinkage, hairloss, increased facial hair growth (females), deepening of the voice, axiety, depression, increased aggressiveness, headaches, drowsiness, (increased) acne, gynecomastia (breast development), nose bleeds etc ect. But with Anabolic Androgen Steroids you also need other drugs to get your hormonal balance back to normal as soon as possible. These substances can cause depression, irreversible deteriorated eyesight, headaches, queasiness and more, but these are the most common ones.

PS: Sharing of needles is not common, in fact, anyone who can get their hands on steroids and has enough money to buy them can also get their hands on needles which are really cheap. Besides, it's uncommon to use steroids which require daily injections for a long period of time. Most injections occur every 5-7 days for no longer than 12 weeks in a row.
[This message was edited Sun Oct 19 19:13:36 PDT 2003 by EvilSkittle]

Supernova said:

AAS do not cause cancer, but they will stimulate the growth of cancer cells.

EvilSkittle said:

I never said they did. But I will say this:

The late Lyle Alzado died of his steroid abuse when he got brain cancer. Alzado was a football player for the Broncos, Raiders, and Browns. He also said the steroid use changed his personality completely. There's no reason for me to disbelieve his doctors for the sake of someone here.
[This message was edited Sun Oct 19 19:44:23 PDT 2003 by Supernova]

Supernova said:

Oh no doubt that can happen, especially when you're "on" all year long.